The pace of Yako's group was not fast. It took them twelve days to enter the Land of Rain, preserving their stamina along the way.
Rain poured relentlessly, drumming against every waterproof cloak.
What followed was nothing but tedious searching and intelligence gathering.
After more than ten days of continuous investigation, they found nothing.
Of course you won't find him, Yako thought. Uchiha Madara has White Zetsu at his side. If I don't make a move, how could you possibly locate him?
A restless tension began to spread through the squad. Even the cold, relentless rain failed to suppress it.
Uchiha Kagen noticed that Fox remained calm day after day, showing no signs of anxiety.
Sensing the man's gaze, Yako said calmly, "Clan Head Kagen, Uchiha Madara's strength far exceeds what the village imagines. Whether intelligence gathering or combat power, he's not someone we can deal with easily.
No developments are the best developments, aren't they?"
Uchiha Kagen inwardly admired Fox. The squad leader's mentality was impressively steady.
"We've been away from the village for over twenty days. The mission hasn't progressed at all. But you're right, Captain Fox. We cannot rush."
More than twenty days already… The next full moon is almost here.
Next month's system reward had a perfect candidate: Lynx.
Lynx had stolen his position as ANBU vice commander.
Farm rewards from him… then eliminate him permanently.
Lynx was only an elite jonin. At most, he could provide 0.2 times Kage-level chakra.
As Yako's strength grew, elite jonin offered diminishing returns. Now he had entered a stage of incremental accumulation.
0.2. Still not insignificant.
Killing Lynx was pure personal resentment. Nothing more. Even if the chakra gain was small, it didn't matter.
Before the canon storyline began, given another decade or so, he could certainly accumulate chakra beyond Kage-level.
—
Another full moon night arrived.
Yako looked up at the falling rain.
The streaks of rain were strangely beautiful. From below, they converged into a single point in perspective, all lines meeting high above beneath thick storm clouds.
Before leaving Konoha, Yuka had already entered the Land of Grass ahead of him.
A few days ago, she had located Lynx's movements and was shadowing him from afar using her owl summon, waiting for Yako to arrive.
The time had come.
Yako called over Uchiha Kagen and Hyuga Ketsu.
"Clan Head Kagen, Captain Hyuga Ketsu, I think we should change tactics."
Uchiha Kagen nodded immediately. Searching for so many days without results felt terrible.
They could be discovered by the Hidden Rain Village at any time. If Hanzo interpreted their presence as an invasion, things would become disastrous.
They couldn't defeat Uchiha Madara… and they certainly couldn't defeat Hanzo either.
Yako said, "We should split up for reconnaissance. Moving together like this, slowly advancing, how long will it take to search the entire Land of Rain?
Better to separate into smaller teams and increase efficiency.
We cannot be overly cautious simply because we fear death. For Konoha, we must show greater courage."
Hearing Fox speak with righteous conviction, Uchiha Kagen considered for a moment before nodding.
Yes. Regardless of the reason, they had to continue investigating—even if it meant taking risks.
If they returned with no results, the village might suspect the Uchiha clan of sabotaging the mission… or even secretly contacting and defecting to Uchiha Madara.
The leadership's talent for suspicion needed no explanation.
The squad quickly dispersed.
Yako addressed two units. "White Ram, Blossom Deer, and our team will move in three directions.
Stay alert. Avoid entering Rain Village towns if possible."
Where was Madara? Naturally, beside the Rinnegan.
As long as they didn't enter populated areas or target Nagato and the others, Madara wouldn't care about Konoha shinobi.
Once he had put enough distance between himself and the others, Yako sank into the ground.
Even Hyuga Ketsu's Byakugan could not capture Yako's Hidden Fish in Earth Technique.
After traveling far underground, Yako summoned White Porcelain and White Glaze.
White Glaze saw Fox, formed hand seals, and dispelled the summoning so that Uzumaki Yuka could summon it instead.
After arriving beside Yuka, White Glaze performed a reverse summoning to bring Fox over.
The wind across the grasslands was cold.
Yako removed his hood. A miniature whirlwind formed in his hand, drying the rainwater from his cloak.
Yuka pointed into the distance. "Fox, five kilometers that way. My owl summon is tracking them.
The ANBU vice commander Lynx has led his team to Evergreen Divine Mountain in the Land of Grass—the place where we rescued Uzumaki Kane.
My owl hasn't lost them."
Yako tightened the fingerless gloves on his hands one by one.
Inside the Ten Seal beneath the gloves was chakra equivalent to five Kage-level techniques.
All prepared for Lynx.
"Lynx is the ANBU vice commander and the strongest ninja of the Shimura clan besides Danzo," Yako said.
"Killing him will deal a heavy blow to Danzo.
Yuka… I estimate I cannot kill Danzo yet. Even if I could, I wouldn't. That would be too easy for him.
We won't just kill Danzo—we will erase everything he left behind in Konoha. Not just physical death, but total annihilation.
Danzo solves problems through slaughter. I will prove to him, using his own methods, that his path is wrong.
He will realize his error through repeated devastating losses."
He paused.
"Alright. Return to the Land of Rain. I'll handle the rest."
—
Beneath Evergreen Divine Mountain lay an abandoned secret laboratory once belonging to the Land of Grass daimyo.
During the two great ninja wars, Konoha and Iwagakure fought across the Land of Grass, a buffer nation. The daimyo had collected numerous ninja corpses.
After the laboratory was exposed, the daimyo hastily evacuated all personnel.
The entrance was a narrow hole barely large enough for one person.
Outside it stood Lynx, Sarutobi Hiaki, Sarutobi Hiyu, and others preparing to investigate.
Lynx glanced at Sarutobi Hiyu.
According to the Shimura clan's investigation, Sarutobi Kanosuke was very likely—perhaps even certainly—Hiyu's illegitimate son, Sarutobi Renji.
This time, the Sarutobi clan would pay a price. The Shimura clan had suffered heavy losses; the Sarutobi could not remain untouched.
Lynx turned to an Aburame clan ninja. "Send insects inside. Survey the laboratory."
Swarms crawled from the ninja's palms and flew into the cave.
An hour later, he reported, "Lord Lynx, no living presence inside."
"Good," Lynx said. "Send people in for detailed investigation."
Despite his words, Lynx's Wildcat squad did not move.
Sarutobi Hiaki and Sarutobi Hiyu exchanged looks. Finally, Hiyu stepped forward.
It seemed the Sarutobi clan would have to bear this responsibility.
After all… Sarutobi Kanosuke might be Hiyu's illegitimate child.
—
A reconnaissance squad, a Sarutobi team, and two ANBU squads entered the cave.
Sarutobi Seidō wanted desperately to stay outside, but Sarutobi Hiaki ordered him in. He had no choice.
The last time he encountered Sarutobi Kanosuke, the man spared him because he bore the Sarutobi name. But he had warned him: the next meeting would be fatal.
The narrow tunnel was pitch-black.
After crawling through fifty meters, they reached a constructed underground stone chamber.
Three people could walk abreast.
Rows of prison cells appeared first—some bodies reduced to skeletons, others slowly rotting.
As a Guardian Captain, Sarutobi Seidō explained:
"The Land of Grass daimyo once captured an Uzumaki ninja and conducted experiments here.
Later, someone attacked the laboratory and rescued that Uzumaki.
I suspect Uchiha Madara's forces. Madara once fought Jiraiya fiercely over an Uzumaki child."
No one refuted his deduction.
They continued deeper into the experimental area, where more corpses hung suspended.
It was impossible to distinguish between shinobi from villages and rogue ninjas.
They split up, searching for traces of the Uzumaki and clues about Sarutobi Kanosuke.
Sarutobi Seidō moved cautiously.
Suddenly—
One of the corpses twitched.
Instinctively, he leapt backward.
A kunai thrust from behind, piercing through his lower back.
He turned slightly and saw a white spiral mask.
"I told you—I would spare you once. The next time we meet, I kill you. Why didn't you believe me?"
Shouts erupted around them.
"Damn it! Sarutobi Seidō has been killed!"
Insects and jutsu surged toward him.
Sarutobi Hiyu broke into cold sweat. He saw Sarutobi Kanosuke.
The white spiral mask… the build…
Is that… my illegitimate son?
Even when the boy was in Konoha, Hiyu had rarely seen him.
His birth had been an accident.
Sarutobi Kanosuke vanished instantly.
All eyes turned toward the Hyuga ninja, who activated the Byakugan, sweat dripping from his face.
"He entered the ground… then disappeared instantly! Like… like his body was made from soil and roots!"
Panic spread through the underground laboratory.
They had come to investigate him—but who expected Sarutobi Kanosuke to actually be here?
He could appear silently anywhere. Neither Aburame insects nor Hyuga eyes could detect him.
"Inform Lord Lynx and Elder Hiaki immediately! Sarutobi Kanosuke is inside the cave!"
A Sarutobi ninja rushed toward the exit. Miraculously, he reached the outside unharmed.
He reported with terror:
"Lord Lynx! Elder Hiaki! Sarutobi Kanosuke is here! He killed Sarutobi Seidō!
Last time, when he attacked the Daimyo's Guardian Ninja, he warned Seidō—each Sarutobi member would be spared once. This was their second meeting… so he killed him!"
Sarutobi Hiaki froze. Why would he truly attack his own clan?
Lynx glanced at him. "Jonin Hiaki, shouldn't you go inside?"
Hiaki nodded reluctantly and entered the cave.
Outside remained only Lynx and two ANBU squads.
"Lord Lynx," a captain asked, "should we prepare anything?"
"No need," Lynx replied calmly. "Sarutobi Hiaki is powerful—the strongest Sarutobi besides the Hokage. We wait for their battle to conclude."
Halfway up the mountain, Yako watched.
Just as I thought.
Lynx had become a big figure now. He wouldn't risk himself unnecessarily.
Sarutobi Kanosuke appeared like a ghost, his voice echoing beneath the mountain.
"Lynx… you've learned Danzo's bad habits quite well.
Send others forward while you observe from behind… what a disgusting trait."
Lynx looked up, tension rising.
Yako charged down the mountain, feigning an attack to gather information.
Soon he confirmed: like other Shimura clan members, Lynx specialized in Wind Release.
After several exchanges, Yako nodded inwardly at the Wind Release: Vacuum Blade.
Fast. Numerous. Lynx stood like a long-range artillery platform.
Having gathered enough information, Yako pretended to lose.
A Vacuum Blade pierced through his forehead.
"Lynx… I will return…"
Lynx watched, shaken, as Sarutobi Kanosuke fell dead.
"Hahaha! So that's all you are!"
[Host death detected. Arc of the Waning Moon system activating…]
—
Yako returned to several hours earlier.
[Arc of the Waning Moon activated!
Host has one resurrection opportunity per month. Upon death, revive at the previous full moon.
Reward: one draw…]
Instead of selecting a Wind Release technique, Yako chose chakra quantity.
Elite jonin-level chakra—0.2 times Kage-level.
His total chakra reached double Kage-level.
Events unfolded as before. After killing Sarutobi Seidō, Sarutobi Hiaki entered the cave.
Outside remained only Lynx and two ANBU squads.
Using Hidden Fish in Earth Technique, Yako emerged silently behind them.
Lynx sensed nothing, still staring at the cave entrance.
After forming a seal, four shadow clones appeared beside Yako.
Each formed different hand seals.
Five impact-type techniques erupted simultaneously.
Flying Gravel — Earth Release!
Water Release: Water Severing Wave!
Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb!
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Lightning Release: Thunder Lance!
Only then did Lynx notice the massive jutsu forming behind him.
Why had the enemy appeared precisely within every ANBU's blind spot?
Could someone truly locate such perfect angles instantly? What kind of battle talent was this?!
Yako had found the ideal position.
Lynx turned in terror.
Five elemental techniques—each exceeding elite jonin level.
Kage-level. Absolutely Kage-level!
In the hands of a Kage-class ninja, even B-rank techniques gained absurd destructive scale.
He had only seen such power once before—from Sarutobi Hiruzen years ago.
The five techniques swallowed Lynx and the ANBU squads instantly.
Conflicting chakra attributes erupted into a devastating explosion.
The blast spanned over a hundred meters, rivaling a small Tailed Beast Bomb.
Respected Vice Commander Lynx died in that catastrophic explosion.
Not even ashes remained.
Sorry. Couldn't help it. Used a little too much chakra.
Last time Yako used Five Elements Great Barrage, he had only been an elite jonin. Now reborn, he possessed true Kage-level strength.
The miniature Sarutobi Kanosuke persona was at least a Kage-tier gatekeeper.
The explosion shook the underground laboratory.
Sarutobi Hiaki and the others struggled free from collapsing rubble and climbed out.
They saw Sarutobi Kanosuke slowly sinking into the earth, as if he had waited specifically to deliver a message.
"Last time I told Sarutobi Seidō—I spare every Sarutobi once.
Sarutobi Hiyu… don't appear before me a second time.
You are not special. Your life has only one chance."
Everyone looked at Sarutobi Hiyu.
Not special? After killing the ANBU vice commander and staying behind just to say that?
That looked extremely personal.
Was this a son's revenge against his father?
Sarutobi Hiyu felt miserable.
Now, no matter what he said… no one would believe him.